Samurai's Best Friend
by Lily Hanson
Summary: Follows The Date Night - Scruffy's gone, Terran's gone, and James is gone. Even with seven roomates the Shiba House still feels empty. Jayden considers getting the team a new dog. But Scruffy's death is still very fresh in all their minds.
1. Ready For It

_Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Power Rangers: (Super) Samurai. This is purely fan-made._

* * *

Though there wasn't much that could keep Jayden in bed for long, his injuries did make it hard for him to train and live his daily Samurai life. He wasn't going to complain, though. Because Antonio was just as badly beaten as he was, maybe a little worse, they had plenty of time to themselves. More than ever, Jayden felt like his relationship with and his love for Antonio was stronger because of the attacker. In a strange way, the eight men who tried to knock some sense into him and set him straight had only succeeded in making him fall more in love with his boyfriend. Jayden was happy to know he had the last laugh.

While a lot of his time was spent with Antonio, Jayden did still wander around the house. He was still in pain, but a little exercise never hurt and it helped to leave the room from time to time.

For the most part, he saw what he normally saw. Kevin and Mia were usually together, either curled up on the couch watching a movie, training together, or in their own corners of the same room doing their own thing. Ji spent most of his time tending to Jayden and Antonio, but the rest of the time he was making meals for the house, cleaning up after the Samurai, or locked away in his room, working on whatever he worked on. The Samurai had started coming up with theories of what he did. While Jayden and Kevin thought of more realistic possibilities, such as making sure the Rangers identities were kept secret, keeping his _friends_ informed of what was going on so they could be of assistance when needed, or studying up on Samurai history, Mike, Antonio, and Emily loved coming up with a few crazy ideas. Some involved Ji having a secret girlfriend. Jayden didn't want to think about that one.

Serena spent a lot of time fussing over Emily. Even without her son around she was still a mother and needed to nurture someone. Unfortunately, Emily was the only one left for her to look after, though from time to time she would fuss over Jayden and Antonio. Emily looked rather annoyed for the most part, but seemed to understand this was helping Serena cope with her son out of the house, and humoured her sister.

Mike, as usual, played video games or hung out with Emily. He worked hard in training when it was required, but he was still the same old Mike.

Despite everything running normally in the house, Jayden did notice there was something off. He looked at the bookshelf, where Emily kept Scruffy's urn. He breathed a loud sigh. He missed the damned dog.

In fact, he missed having a dog period.

He looked to his friends one more time. Kevin and Mia were curled up on the couch together. They were going through Mia's wedding book. Jayden knew they planned on getting a dog at some point in their lives. Just like him, Scruffy had grown on them. They missed him and they missed having a canine best friend running around the house. Kevin had admired Scruffy's loyalty, and Mia had enjoyed taking care of the dog. From time to time, Scruffy enjoyed specialty meals made by Mia just because she felt the need to nurture the dog. She was a lot like Serena in that sense.

Speaking of Serena, Jayden figured a dog would do her wonders now that Terran was gone. It would be something for her to take care of, like Mia, and it would help her leave her sister alone. Serena had bonded quite a bit with Scruffy and had been open to the idea of eventually getting another dog. It would be perfect for her now.

Even Antonio and Ji would benefit from having a dog. It would keep Ji company when the Rangers were out fighting and would offer him comfort if they were gone for too long, and Antonio, well, he just loved dogs.

Jayden had seen Mike with his dog back home. A part of him was sure that Mike's dog Bowser had played a big part in helping Mike get over Scruffy's death. Though Jayden wouldn't be surprised if Mike was hesitant about getting another dog, he was sure the green Ranger would cave and would come around to loving the idea.

It was just Emily he was worried about. He didn't know how she would take it. Though she had moved on, Jayden still saw her kneeling at the garden where they buried Scruffy's toys, or looking longingly at the urn. She missed her best friend dearly, and there was never going to be anything or anyone who could replace him. But Jayden also saw how much she missed having a dog. If she was up to it, this could be a good thing for her too.

And it could be a good thing for the Samurai. Though Jayden would never get a dog just to use it as a guard dog against the Nighlok, a dog could be a defensive tactic for the Samurai. Animals could tell the Nighlok were a threat and could sense if one was approaching, just like a Gap Sensor. Though the shields were fully powered, it would help the Rangers feel a bit safer knowing a dog would start barking if the Nighlok got too close to the house.

It would also help in their personal lives. Jayden was sure that if he and Antonio had had a dog with them, the people who beat them up would have thought twice about attacking. Many people would. A dog, especially a loyal one, would do anything to protect its master, and no one wanted to find themselves with an arm, a leg, or any other body part between a dog's jaws.

Jayden figured it was worth a shot and walked over to Emily. She was sitting on the floor at the table, colouring in a symbol. A while back, when Emily was just a child, it had been Serena's way of teaching her her symbols. Because Emily was dyslexic, she found learning to be a chore. Of course, many kids did, but it was harder for Emily. Going to school, struggling to read and write, and then coming home and having to learn Japanese symbols wasn't going to fly with Emily. Instead, Serena and Ellie had focused more on fun. Emily would learn her symbols by colouring the kanji in until she could remember what it would look like, and then draw it for herself. It seemed to work, so Jayden didn't question it. He sat down beside her and smiled.

"You know what you're colouring?"

"Stalactites," Emily smiled. "I'll be piercing through Nighloks in no time. I hope you like shish-kebabs."

Jayden chuckled then pulled the yellow pencil from her hand, "Mind if I ask you something?"

"Okay."

"You're allowed to say no."

"Okay."

Jayden took a deep breath, "What would you think about getting another… pet?"

"A dog?" Emily asked. Jayden could already see the tears forming as she turned to look at Scruffy's urn. He took her hand.

"I thought it would be good for the team," he said. "We all really miss Scruffy. I know you most of all. So if you're not ready for another dog, I won't even talk to the others about it."

Emily looked around the room. Mia and Kevin were distracted with their book, Mike was focused on his video game, and Serena had stepped outside for a little training.

"I'm not trying to replace Scruffy," Jayden continued, feeling it was important Emily knew that. "Nothing will ever replace him, Em. But…"

"Can we go look at dogs and see how I feel then?" Emily asked.

Jayden nodded his head, "I don't see why not."

"Can we go now? I'm kind of bored."

"Are you sure?" Jayden asked her. Emily smiled and nodded her head.

"Nothing's taking Scruffy's place. But I do miss having a cuddly pet."

"You have Mike."

"Yeah, but it's weird when he licks my face," Emily giggled. She jumped to her feet, "You tell the others. I'll go tell Serena!"

"Tell us what?" Mia asked, looking up from her book. Kevin took this as his chance to slam it shut and move it away from her. He loved planning his wedding as much as the next guy, but there was only so much he could handle.

"How would you guys feel about getting a new dog?"

"A dog?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah," Jayden nodded his head, "We lost Scruffy and then Terran and James. This house feels kind of empty now and we can all use a bit of canine distraction."

"Scruffy _just _died," Mike had paused his game and was looking at Jayden, "It's only been a month and…"

"We're not replacing Scruffy," Jayden explained again. "I think a dog would be good for all of us…"

"We're getting another dog?" Antonio cried from the hallway and seemed thrilled by the idea. He had gotten out of bed for some water and heard the good news. "Sweet! When are we getting it?"

"Whoa, hold up there," Kevin held his hand up for Antonio and looked to Jayden, "We're not even sure…"

"I like the idea," Mia smiled. "Jayden's right, we've lost a lot lately. If we find a dog we all like, and we all think we're ready for one, I don't see the harm."

Mike sighed. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked out the window. He could tell Emily was excited at the idea of a new dog. She was bouncing as she spoke to Serena. He wanted Emily to be happy.

"But what about the Zords?" Mike asked right as the Dragon and Turtle flew over his head. "Ape Zord might think Emily prefers the new dog over her…"

"Ape Zord had no problem with Scruffy," Mia said. "In fact, none of the Zords did. They loved having a real animal. It was another friend to play with."

Mike nodded, "Alright, alright. If everyone agrees…"

"Yes!" Antonio nodded and raced to his bedroom to get changed for an outing. Jayden could tell he was excited.

"I agree," Mia smiled.

"What the hell," Kevin said, "but only if we find one that suits us all."

The front door opened and Emily dragged Serena into the common room.

"She said yes!"

"We'll go look at a dog," Serena said to Emily in particular. "We may not get one today. Emily, you know you're never going to find a dog like Scruffy again."

"I know," Emily smiled. "I never want another dog like Scruffy again. It would hurt too much. But I think I'm ready."

"If she's sure," Serena wrapped her arms around her sister and smiled at Jayden, "Then I'm sure. It can't hurt to _look._"

"I'll get dressed," Jayden gestured to his pyjamas, "and then we'll head out to the shelter."


	2. The Shiba

Dogs, there were dogs everywhere. Big dogs, small dogs, young dogs, old dogs, black dogs, white dogs… going through the list in his head, Jayden felt like he was in a Dr. Seuss book.

But all the dogs were cute, he would admit to that.

Jayden had taken his Samurai to the dog shelter, where all the dogs that didn't have a home were taken to be looked after and eventually adopted. Of course, because of all the monster attacks, people lost their dogs all the time and it seemed they never came back for them.

"As you can see," the worker said to Jayden, "We have a wide selection for you today. All these dogs in this room are ready to be adopted."

"Aw, look at this one," Mia smiled as she pointed to a small dog, a mixed breed as far as Jayden could tell. Mia stuck her finger through the cage and started playing with the small dog.

"Small?" Mike asked, shaking his head. He stood beside a very large English mastiff, "No, we're not going small. I like this one!"

Emily's eyes grew wide as she stared at Mike's choice, "That dog will knock me over!"

"Your own feet knock you over, Em," Antonio chuckled, patting her shoulder.

"What about this one?" Serena pointed to a border collie mix.

"We're not on a farm," Emily said, "Stop looking at working dogs."

"It's cute," Serena wrapped her arms around the dog's neck, "My vote goes here."

"We're not judging cute," Antonio shook his head, "We want an awesome dog, right boys?"

"Like this English mastiff!"

"No!" Emily shook her head, "I'm fine with another big dog, but nothing that's bigger than me when it stands up!"

"That is a big dog," Mia agreed.

Though Kevin was excited about getting another dog back in the Shiba House, being in the shelter was reminding him of how big a mess dogs could make. He kept looking around at the dogs, hoping he would find one that already knew the definition of the word clean.

Then his eyes fell on a very small, red coloured dog in a cage. This dog was grooming himself – or herself, Kevin didn't want to check, it felt rude. The little dog was licking its paws and cleaning itself up just like a cat. Its cage was also neater than most. The worker saw Kevin's eyes were fixed on the dog and smiled, "That's a Shiba Inu."

"Shiba?" Mike asked, leaving the mastiff's side to look at the dog with the same name as Jayden, "Oh, that is awesome!"

"Imagine," Antonio whispered to Jayden, "We work for the Shiba Clan, in the Shiba House, with a red Shiba Inu."

"Are you an active home?" the worker asked the Rangers. "This dog requires a lot of exercise.

"We're pretty active," Serena smiled. Activity level was not an issue for the Samurai.

"She's a proud dog, too," the worker unlocked the cage, seeing most of the Samurai were gathered around to look at the dog. He knelt down beside the dog and started to play with the dog, "From what we've seen, she's pretty clean."

"Proud, clean?" Mike smirked and looked to Kevin, "She's got Jayden's last name, but this dog is like the dog version of you."

Kevin smiled. Mike was right. Already he could tell he and this dog would get along.

"Word of advice, though," the worker said, "If you are considering getting this dog, when you take her outside, never let her off the leash. She's a hunter. She'll go after small prey and it'll be next to impossible to call her back. She might wander out into the streets or just get lost."

"Can we take a minute to think about it?" Serena asked. The worker nodded and set the dog up in a little kennel where the Rangers could interact with it.

Kevin was already madly in love with this dog.

Jayden was shaking his head, "We can't just pick a dog because it's called Shiba. This dog has to be right for us."

Mia picked the dog up and held her out for Jayden, "She's adorable!"

"I switch my vote," Serena nodded. "I used to have a friend who had a Shiba. The dog was great once it was properly trained. I think we can make it work, especially since she's still a dog."

"You had me at Shiba," Antonio grinned, taking the dog from Mia. He played with her for a few seconds before passing her over to Emily.

Everyone held their breaths, waiting for her reaction. Though she had fallen in love with many dogs at the shelter they knew it was different being only one step away from actually adopting this dog and taking her home.

The dog was still young and very playful. She squirmed in Emily's arms, trying to swipe at the necklace she wore. In this sense, she reminded Emily a lot of Scruffy when she had first seen him. He had been a curious but very playful little dog and he had grown attached to her pretty quickly. This little dog didn't seem to mind her very much and even looked like she wanted Emily to play with her.

But one thing she had loved about Scruffy was being able to take him to the park, let him off the leash and throw around a ball. He would bring it right back all the time and would always come back to her when she called him.

"You're never going to find another Scruffy, Emily," Serena reminded her. "If this is too much, we're okay letting her go to another family. It won't be fair for us or her if we adopt her and you're not ready."

Suddenly, Emily was very aware of all the dogs running around, barking and playing in their cages. She could hear just how happy and excited they were at the thought of maybe being adopted. The little Shiba in her hand in particular seemed very happy Emily was around.

But that wasn't a good thing. Emily thought of Scruffy and how he had died. She couldn't do that to another dog. She couldn't bring an innocent dog into her life while she was still fighting Nighlok. What if she got hurt? What if the dog did like Scruffy did because it thought it had to protect its owner. Emily couldn't bear the thought of putting another dog in danger. Tears welled up in her eyes and she looked up at her big sister. She handed the dog back, "I can't hurt her," she whispered and then ran out of the building.

Serena set the dog down and went after her sister, stepping out of the shelter.

Emily had run out pretty quickly and she could have been anywhere by now. Serena looked left and right, hoping Emily hadn't gone too far. Then she looked straight ahead. The shelter was right in front of the park. Hoping Emily had gone there; Serena crossed the seat and looked around.

"Emily!"

She saw her sister curled up on a park bench with her knees pulled to her chest and her head buried in her arms. Serena sighed and slowly made her way over. She sat down beside Emily and wrapped her arms around her.

"If you're not ready, it's okay."

"I know why you gave up Terran now," Emily whispered. "It's too dangerous for him."

"Emily…"

"Scruffy took that hit for you!" Emily cried. "I can't let another dog do that! No shelter would let us adopt a dog if they knew we fought Nighlok!"

"We fight Nighlok, Em," Serena reminded her sister, "That little dog in there won't ever have too. You heard the man; we can't let her off her leash. You'll still be able to play with her, but inside the yard, inside the gates, where she'll be safe from Nighlok."

"I can't do it…" Emily said. "How… how did you do it for so long with Terran?"

"Not just Terran," Serena tucked a strand of Emily's hair behind her ear, "It's not easy. You love something so much but you know there's danger around every corner. You can't bear the thought of something happening. I live with that every day, Emily. For Terran, for you, for everyone I care about. Do you know how damn hard it was passing the yellow Ranger powers down to you? Even now, you're an amazing Samurai and I still worry about you. I worry about Nighlok, I worry about strangers. Anything, anywhere can happen to you."

"You're not helping," Emily sobbed. Serena smiled and pulled her sister into her chest.

"But I know mom trained you well. I know I've trained you well. I've taught you everything I could possibly teach you. I've done everything I could to make sure you can take care of yourself. I can't make this world safe for you, Em, but I can make you safe for the world."

"What about the dog?"

"We'll train her," Serena smiled, "just like we trained Scruffy. We'll give her a loving home, we'll make sure that home is safe for her, and we'll protect her, just like we protected Scruffy."

"But Scruffy…"

"Made his own decision. You didn't doom that dog, Emily."

"I don't know," Emily pulled away from her sister. "I miss him. I miss having a dog but… but…"

"What if I talk to the shelter about maybe reserving her for us over night? We'll take some time to think about it, do a little research on her, and we'll dog proof the house so there's no way the Nighlok will get near her. If you still can't bear the thought of something happening, or if you don't feel ready, we'll let another loving family take her, okay?"

"Okay."

"You do what the Shiba, right?" Serena chuckled. "You know that's the dog I'm talking about."

"I want the Shiba," Emily said. She got up and walked beside her sister. Serena pulled her in for a one-armed hug as they headed back to the shelter.

"I can't wait to see the look on Ji's face when we tell him we're thinking of getting a Shiba."

"A red one," Emily added.


	3. Is She Ready?

The house was quiet. Everyone was asleep except for Emily, who had a lot on her mind.

Her heart hurt. For one, it hurt because she missed Scruffy. She missed cuddling with him at night, running around with him at the park. She missed how he would run to the door and greet her every time she came home with that goofy face he always made. He was a big goofball and she loved that about him. She missed that about him.

But her heart also hurt because she knew there was something missing. Since Jayden had brought up the idea of getting a new dog she realized that was exactly what she needed. She loved all her friends and she loved spending time with them, but she had grown up on a farm, surrounded by animals. It was weird not having one by her side.

Not a real animal at least. She sat in the common room, by the table, with the Ape Zord in her hand.

"What do you think?" she asked the little creature. Ape Zord gave her a little smiled. Emily nodded, "You miss having a friend around too, don't you?"

The Ape Zord nodded.

"You know," Emily said, "You're still my monkey best friend. Nothing's ever going to change that… but I feel like I need more."

The Ape looked offended for a moment but she knew what her mistress meant. She was connected to Emily and she could feel the yellow Ranger's sadness.

"I don't want to put another dog in danger," Emily said. "It's bad enough knowing Scruffy was killed by a Nighlok. That never would have happened if a normal family adopted…"

The Ape Zord interrupted Emily, beeping loudly as she rambled on and on. At first it brought tears to Emily's eyes and then she smiled. Though the Ape Zord couldn't communicate with real animals, it had a far better understanding of their behaviours and their social cues than humans ever would. The Ape, after all, was an ape herself. She knew how animals interacted and how they communicated how they were feeling.

Emily hugged her Ape Zord tight, "You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that."

"Hear what?" Jayden asked. He too had a hard time sleeping and decided he would take a walk around the house.

"Monkey says Scruffy was happy with us."

"I could have told you that," Jayden sat down beside Emily and smiled. He tickled the Ape Zord under the chin.

"Monkey says Scruffy was happy with me."

"Again," Jayden laughed, "No real news there."

"Monkey says she's happy with me."

"You're really good with her," Jayden agreed. Though all the Samurai were close with their Zords and they spent some time playing and bonding with them, no one was as close as Emily was with her Zord. After many battles, the Zords would come back injured and though they would heal on their own, Emily always made sure Ape Zord was well looked after and comfortable after a long fight.

Jayden's farther had always told him that the level of care a Ranger gave their Zord was evident by the level of care and protection they offered back to their masters. A Ranger who made sure their Zord was happy, safe, loved, and appreciated was always going to have a close bond with their Zord. In return for all the love, care and protection, a Zord would comfort, shelter, and, though it hadn't happened yet, would sacrifice itself for its master – something Jayden hoped Emily never had to experience after what happened to Scruffy, though it was obvious the Ape would do all it could to protect Emily.

"I used to think the Lion and I were close."

Emily grinned, "You were kind of cute when you would play with it. Before you really started opening up to us, that's how I knew you were a good guy and a good friend. You took care of the Lion."

"Em, we would all understand it if you weren't ready to bring a dog back into this house. It is dangerous and I promise we'll do all we can to keep her safe, but I can't promise that what happened to Scruffy won't happen to her. But I know you'll be a great mistress and an amazing friend for that dog," Jayden wrapped his arms around Emily and pulled her in for a tight hug, "You have so much love for everything. If you do choose to get another dog, she'll know she's loved, right from the start. That's all anyone really wants in life."

Emily smiled and pulled away from Jayden. She got to her feet and walked to the bookshelf to look at Scruffy's urn. Ape Zord jumped up on her shoulder and rested against her cheek.

"Do you really think I can do it?" Emily asked. The Ape Zord nodded and hummed contently. Emily nodded her head.

"We'll have to buy new toys, a new collar, a new leash, a new dog bed…"

"Emily…"

"Jayden, tomorrow can we go pick up our dog?"

Jayden nodded his head and smiled, "You should start thinking of a name."

"Yay!" Emily smiled. She took the Ape Zord in her hand and bounced all the way back to her bedroom, thanking Jayden on the way. He chuckled as he watched her go, happy he could bring that energy back into the house. Happy he could give something back to the friends who had, and still were, giving up so much for him. He could never, ever thank them enough.

In fact, thank you wasn't even the word he knew he should be using. He looked to Scruffy's urn and sighed.

"I'm sorry."


	4. A Storm Hits The Shiba House

Getting used to a new dog was going to take some time.

"That guy wasn't kidding when he said shibas liked to chase small prey," Mike chuckled, watching as the Zords raced away from the dog, who only seconds after her feet touched the floor had darted off after the small creatures. Mike gently nudged Jayden in the ribs, "How long before you start running around after smaller animals, huh, Shiba?"

"Alright, if we're keeping this dog, no Shiba jokes," Jayden shook his head. "Yes, she's a shiba and yes she's red, but that's where the similarities stop."

"No!" Emily picked up the dog before she could capture the Dragon Zord. The Zords all rushed off to a different room, hoping to get away before they ended up trapped under the dog's paws. Emily frowned at the new dog, "Bad girl. We don't chase Zords!"

"She needs a name," Mia said. Jayden quickly turned to Mike.

"Not a word out of you!"

"I was going to suggest Peach."

"Do you name all your dogs after Mario characters?" Antonio laughed. Mike nodded his head.

"She's a shiba," Serena said, "She's a girl. She's red… what about Lauren?"

Jayden's eyes shot out of his head as he caught the glare Serena was throwing his way, "No."

"Dude, we're voting, you can't just say no," Antonio said and then looked to Serena, "but I'm with human Shiba. No."

"Not a funny joke, Serena," Jayden growled.

"That was a joke?" Mike asked. "Wow, that was bad."

Serena just crossed her arms over her chest and smirked contently. She had waited months for an opportunity like that.

Emily walked back over to the group, carrying the dog in her arms. It was easy to see she had already fallen in love with the little shiba and was excited to have a dog back in the house, "I'm going to show her around."

"She's a dog," Kevin shook his head, "She doesn't need a tour."

"I showed Scruffy around."

"And he still didn't know where the walls were," Antonio chuckled. He took the dog from Emily's hands, "but little Shiba doesn't seem as clumsy. She might learn a little faster. I'll come with you."

"We'll unload the dog's stuff from the car," Mike said.

After giving the dog a tour, and setting up her bed and toys in the common room, the Rangers decided to let her play and establish her own little home in the house. The little dog ran around the house excitedly, bouncing up on furniture and exploring every corner, but not once did she make a mess. In fact, when she was done running around and finally settled on Jayden's stool, she started grooming herself, licking her paws and the rest of her body just like a cat would.

"She is definitely the dog version of Kevin," Mike smirked.

"She's in my seat," Jayden frowned as he walked back into the room only to find his stool had been stolen. Antonio started to laugh, making another Shiba joke.

"They're very brave and proud," Serena said, reading off some traits for the Shiba Inu from a dog breeding website, "Apparently, she'll learn to do her business outside with very little training. None if we're lucky."

"So she won't pee on my pillow?" Mia asked happily and pet the dog, "I'm already loving her."

"And she's loyal," Serena smiled, "What do you know she's like our own little Samurai. All the more reason to call her Lauren."

"Bad, bad jokes, Serena," Mike shook his head and sighed.

"Jayden gets it."

"Inside joke," Jayden muttered, "Though just because I understand it, doesn't mean it's funny."

Serena gave him another glare before opening up a new page on the internet, "Okay, do we have any names for her, or should I Google some?"

"She's chewing my stool," Jayden pointed to the dog. Emily picked her up, finding she had to scold the dog again.

"No chewing."

"Good luck with that," Serena smiled to her sister.

"She's a handful," Mia said.

Emily smiled and cuddled the dog, "I don't care. I love her."

"I want a kick ass name," Antonio stroked his chin as he thought, "She's red, like fire. What about Blaze?"

Emily blew a raspberry. It was clear she didn't like the suggestion.

"I still vote…"

Emily blew another raspberry. Mike frowned.

"You didn't even…"

Another raspberry, "No to Peach."

"Yoshi."

Emily glared at her fiancé, "Don't make me come over there."

"Why is naming a dog so hard?" Serena asked, "How did you come up with Scruffy?"

"Pet store named him," Mike answered. "And we were too lazy to change it to anything. Besides, it fit."

Emily held up the dog and looked at her. Scruffy was named because of his personality. Maybe the same could be done for the little dog on her lap.

So far she didn't know much about the little Shiba. She was proud, she was somewhat stubborn and she was a handful. Like Kevin, she preferred to keep herself clean and according to the website Serena had visited, she would always have that quality about her. Her stubbornness was somewhat similar to Mike, Mia, and Serena. When they wanted something, or when they thought they were right, it was impossible to change their minds.

She was also adventurous and went after what she wanted, just like Antonio. Already, several times, Emily had to pull her away from the Zords. Eventually, she was sure the Shiba would win.

Her similarities to Jayden: she was a Shiba. Enough said.

"Storm," Emily smiled and hugged her puppy, "She's like all of us rolled into a teeny tiny package."

"Tiny's definitely what she gets from you," Antonio teased. Emily smiled. The dog was small, but so far that hadn't held her back one bit.

"How did you get Storm from all of us?" Jayden asked.

"Well, you guys kept suggesting fire names, and fire storm popped into mind," Emily shrugged, "Then I thought of rainstorm, because she's clean and proud like Kevin."

"Not a bad thing," Kevin said.

"Then wind storm. Mike's got a leaf storm attack. Serena and I know sandstorm, and Antonio's light and lightning happens during thunderstorms."

"Storm does sum us all up," Serena grinned and laughed, "On most days, this house looks like a storm blew through it."

"Most days?" Ji asked, finally walking into the room. Jayden had informed him they were getting a dog, but this was the first time he got to see the newest addition to the Samurai clan. "Storm is a perfect way to describe the seven of you."

"Shiba Inu," Antonio pointed to the dog, introducing her to Ji, "We couldn't resist. The girls thought she was cute and, well…"

"It's a red Shiba," Mike finished for the gold Ranger, "This is the Shiba House."

Jayden sighed and looked to Ji annoyed, "They won't stop. It's like Antonio with the gold jokes."

"Dinner is ready for you," Ji laughed and gestured to the kitchen, "I even prepared a special meal for the newest member of the family."

"You're going to be so spoiled," Kevin gave the dog a pat on the head as everyone walked to the kitchen to eat.

-Samurai-

Unlike Scruffy, Storm wasn't going to be trained to share a room with Mike and Emily. Her bed was going to be in the common room, and therefore training her to sleep there would start from day one.

Unfortunately, all the hot weather had brought in a very severe thunderstorm. Between the loud claps of thunder, Emily could hear Storm crying from the common room, scared out of her mind. Emily couldn't blame her. She remembered her first night at the Shiba House. She had been terrified as well, and she didn't even have to deal with a thunder storm.

"She'll be fine," Mike whispered as he snuggled Emily in close. He knew she was worried about the dog, "It'll pass soon. Just go to sleep."

"Mike, she's crying."

"Em…"

Emily threw off the blankets and quietly walked to the door. Lightning struck and thunder clapped, causing her to jump and squeal. She wasn't a huge fan of thunderstorms, but she wasn't about to leave her dog when she could tell she was afraid.

"If you bring her into bed tonight, she's just going to learn that…"

"I won't bring her into bed," Emily promised.

She carefully made her way down the hall and into the common room. Storm wasn't in her bed, where the Samurai had left her. Instead, she was curled up under the table, trembling from fear. Emily got down on her knees, locking eyes with the terrified dog.

"It's okay," she said gently as she fished Storm out from under the table and cuddled her in her arms. She made her way over to the dog bed and laid the shiba down, "I'll stay with you until it passes."

Though Storm had been independent for most of the day, she didn't hesitate to nestle into Emily's chest, climbing all over the yellow Ranger in an attempt to seek shelter. Emily smiled and when she and the dog were both comfortable she gave her a kiss on the head.

"Who knew Storm would be afraid of storms?" Emily giggled, hugging her dog a little tighter as the thunder rumbled again. "But tomorrow, I'm going to take you out for a walk, and we're going to play in the yard, and we're going to have so much fun. It's going to be so exciting, you'll see."

Emily lay down in the dog bed, keeping Storm close, "You're going to love it here. And I promise nothing's going to happen to you."


End file.
